


Doctor Who: Connected in solitude

by TARDIS_Type40_my_all_time_favourite1986



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/M, Falling In Love, Living on the Street, Loss of Parent(s), Love, One Shot, Twelve-Clara, whouffaldi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:36:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21548983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TARDIS_Type40_my_all_time_favourite1986/pseuds/TARDIS_Type40_my_all_time_favourite1986
Summary: On the 23rd of November 1686 a girl was born in Blackpool which was the whole luck of her parents.But many years later, when she was only a short time before her 30th birthday, but still spent a lot of time with her parents, she lost not only this but also everything else.The Doctor, as everyone calls him, takes care of her after she breaks into his house and allows her to stay over the winter months.But there are long weeks that pass... weeks that can change your own view.
Relationships: Twelfth Doctor/Clara Oswin Oswald
Kudos: 5





	Doctor Who: Connected in solitude

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, reader
> 
> I actually wanted to release the story yesterday for Clara's birthday (belated all the best), but unfortunately I did not quite finish it.
> 
> Her birthday is exactly 79 days ahead of mine, but I am a few months older.  
(The 1986 in my nickname stands for my year of birth.)
> 
> The story was inspired by the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen, but of course it goes its own way.
> 
> As always I wish you a lot of fun reading.
> 
> Allons-y!

Doctor Who is © by BBC. 

Doctor Who: Connected in solitude

Blackpool/England/Europe

Period mainly from November 1706 to March 1707 instead.

Many moons ago, when the stars were different in the sky, a girl was born in the English town of Blackpool, which was the whole happiness of her parents.

They called it Clara - the Radiant One.

Clara, when she grew up later, was always out there, much to her parents' concern, and rarely listened to what her father Dave said to her. She was, as her mother used to say to Ellie, a savage that was unstoppable.

Many years followed, and then, when one morning the sun rose again over the distant mountains, Clara, meanwhile grown to a beautiful, young woman, saw her parents' bodies lying on the grass.

They looked as if they were just asleep, but the posture of their bodies said that they had suffered great pain.

Clara rushed to them, but was held back by a woman with an icy look.

„Oh, what a pretty girl you are“, her voice was abhorrent, „well, let's see who would give home and work to a neglected thing.“

Clara looked at her aunt. She had never understood why she was so despised by her. She wanted to ask, but when she spoke, no words came out. She tried several times, but the silence remained.

„Goodness, how dirty you are!“

Her aunt held out a mirror and Clara realized that her dress and skin were covered with soot and grime. Of course she tried to rub it off, but it stayed.

„You really are a dirty girl, who should pay attention to you now?“

Clara bowed her head. She realized that from now on it would be a lonely life. The ability to speak was taken away and she would never again be the woman she once was.

Only a few months before her birthday, she lost everything.

Some, who had at least some sympathy, threw her a few coins, others even bought some of the matches she herself stole from the markets, and did not ask where they were from.

So the warm days went by and the cold did its job during the night. Clara knew she had to find a warmer place to spend the night, so as not to freeze.

She got up, grabbed her few belongings and headed for the house, which stood alone and abandoned in the area. Who would throw out a young woman like her?

When she entered the interior, her breath stopped. Although it was said that no one lived here for many years, it all seemed quite new.

„What are you doing here?!“

Clara looked up. In front of her stood a man who looked at her with an angry look. She just stared at him.

„you're the girl selling the matches outside, are not you? People tell themselves that you would never speak and show no emotion otherwise. So, why are you here?“

He had often wondered why no one helped her, but even he had not done so in the end. And he would not start now.

„Come with me, I'll get you bathed, so you'll at least get some clean before you have to leave.“

She wanted to tell him it would not help, that look had been her daily companion for months, no matter how many times she tried to wash it off at the big well in the city center.

He took her hand and pulled her up. When he finally let in the water in the bathroom, he had built a device on the outside wall of this house, which could filter the rainwater and eventually be used as bathwater, Clara still could not believe that he allowed her all this, even though he did after that yes wanted to send out of his house.

She could not judge the man, whose hair was as silver-gray as the moon on some days, and whose eyes were as blue as the sea shone upon by the sun. The accent in his voice was alien to her. He also spoke a little differently than the people of Blackpool.

„The water is ready now. Do not worry, it's lukewarm, I've added three full buckets of boiling water.“

Clara nodded and he left the room to give her the privacy she needed. (And she did not ask where he got boiling water so fast.)

The water was good for her tired bones, but it did not wash off the soot and dirt she wore like a second skin.

When one hour (maybe more) had passed, he quietly opened the door and asked if everything was alright. But she could not answer him, and so he entered the room completely and, not averting his gaze, held out a towel.

„You're still covered in soot and dirt. How is that possible?“

Clara wiped her body with the towel and although it was supposed to be dirty, it stayed clean. Wondering, he looked at it and then shook his head.

Whatever that might mean, he would not be able to bring her back outside, leaving her to her fate.

„You can stay with me during the winter months“, he offered, „but when the temperatures get warmer again, we have to look for another place for you, okay?“

She nodded. Everything was better than falling asleep every night with the fear of not waking up in the morning. Although on the other hand it would have been like a kind of liberation.

He prepared the guest room for her, and although he could have given her only basic bedding, he took one of the best and had prepared the bed in a matter of minutes.

He lived alone for many years, so he should bring some things.

When he had finished, he called her and she appeared shortly afterwards, opening her eyes in astonishment. Although her old room was quite large, this was beyond anything.

How many years ago she had seen it. It really was a wonder she still remembered it.

„Do you like it?“

She threw her arms around his waist, of course, out of gratitude and, unfortunately, she had no other choice.

Although he was opposed to hugs, he could not help but to return them.

„Well, come on, I'll make some food“, he said, her brown eyes beaming. She had been lucky for many days to get at least a small meal a day.

During the meal, which was taken an hour later downstairs in the dining room, the bedrooms were upstairs, he told her a little about where he came from. Her guess about his accent was right. It was not one of them because he originally came from Glasgow and later moved here. However, he said, he soon planned to go to London as soon as the summer of next year began.

Clara choked. Did he just mention that he wants to leave? Well, she had no right to keep him here against his will.

„Alright?“, He asked worriedly and she nodded, wishing she could speak, but unfortunately she was not able to do it right now.

Nevertheless, he got up, lifted her from the chair and patted her gently on the back, as she had swallowed several times.

However, he wondered why he actually did this. She was just a girl, well, though her body was covered in soot and grime, very pretty, but she was also very young... How old was she anyway?

He could not really judge that, and since she did not speak, she was not able to tell him.

However, what should not happen is that he develops feelings for her. First, they would go their separate ways in the spring, secondly, in the summer he would go to London and third, he was just too old for them. And she would be guaranteed to choose a young man rather than someone who wonders that he was even lucky enough to reach the age of 50 ... About nine years ago.

A few minutes later, he let go of her, after he was sure that she was well again and they ate up the leftovers of their food.

Later, with the sickle moon in the sky, Clara sat with him in the living room, calling himself the Doctor. Since she could read and write, as her parents had taught her, in the chair with a book in her hand.

Of course, the Doctor was very surprised when she did this, but she did not take the book away, but let her enjoy it.

When she had fallen asleep in the armchair after about an hour, he gently lifted the young woman in his arms and brought her to her upstairs bedroom.

He would hand over the house to a new owner when he left the city, but many weeks would pass before that.

The harsh winter came (this year he started really early, even though it was still autumn) and the streets were meters high covered with snow. One evening when he came back from a trip to the city, looking for new food, she noticed that he was slightly humorous. His right leg seemed hurt, because whenever he did, he hissed in pain.

Immediately she was with him and helped him to sit down on a chair. Gratefully, he looked at her and she returned it with a smile. Actually, she should be grateful to him, because he had given her a home and thus warmth during the cold days.

„I must have sprained my foot somehow“, he admitted, looking at him questioningly. Immediately she took off his shoe and the thick winter sock, took the stool and put his leg on it.

Then she went to the bathroom to get a bowl of water and some towels.

When she finally squatted next to him again, she wrapped his wet cloths around his ankle, making sure not to hurt him any more.

When she finished a little later, looking into his blue eyes, she realized for the first time how lonely he really was. He usually lived alone in this house and if she had not been, he would spend the winter here without company.

„Thanks, now please wash as far as you can. I want to have a very special dinner with you today.“

She rose with a slight nod and then left the living room wondering what he was doing here. It was wrong to cling to any hopes that would never happen.

In the meantime, Clara had gone to her room and had chosen the most beautiful of the clothes the Doctor had brought her a few days before. When she looked at herself in the mirror for a few minutes, holding the dress in front of her, she hoped he would like it.

About half an hour later she returned to the living room and when he saw her he could only look at her like a fish gasping for air.

„You... you look beautiful. Wait, can you please go to the store room I showed you? There should be the walking stick of my father.“

She did it and came back with it a little later. Although he did not care to carry such a thing with him, it was clear to him that it would make walking easier.

„You look really beautiful“, he repeated his words from earlier. In the meantime, he no longer saw the soot and dirt that stuck to her like a second skin, no longer noticed that her hair, even after several washes, still looked as if it had been in the mud.

No, he saw a beautiful, young woman, whom he unfortunately will not see again after the winter months. And even if he did not know it now, at the appointed time he would surely die inside.

She took his hand and drew the letters C-L-A-R-A on his palm.

„Clara?“  
Another nod.

„Clara is your name. I'm glad you betrayed him.“

The young woman smiled and he could not help but lose herself in her eyes. Even though he knew that there could be no common future for them, he would not be able to fight against the feelings that grew in him.

„Come, I promised you a dinner“, he pulled her along with her and she was quite surprised when they left the house.

A few days ago he had decided to make her happy at least one day. What would he say if he knew that day was her birthday?

He stopped a coach, which was just passing, chatted briefly with the driver and then helped up Clara. She had not driven it for so many years. If you just had to remember to survive, there was no time for that.

„Are all ready?“, Asked the driver and the Doctor affirmed, whereupon the vehicle, which was pulled by two horses, set in motion.

„I rarely see a father inviting his daughter for an evening outing.“  
„Then you do not have it this time. She is neither my daughter nor my granddaughter or niece. I just want to do something good for her.“

How she would like to tell him that she had her birthday, but she had no opportunity to do so. Instead, she leaned against him, on the one hand to tackle the cold and, secondly, to enjoy his presence even more.

Did he always smell so good? Who could say it?

„Sir?“, Came the coachman's voice after a while, „we're here.“

The Doctor announced that he had heard him and then helped her out of the coach. When Clara saw that he had organized a little Ochestra, who were shrouded in thick winter cloak because of the cold, turned to him.

„I thought it would not be so good in a dance hall, so I asked the band to come here.“

The Doctor turned to the group and promised that it would not take long. He would also give them something warm afterwards.

More and more Clara wondered about him. She wondered if he was so kind or just because of her for some reason.

The Doctor grabbed her hand and gently pulled her in his direction as the music began. They were pretty close, but still with a certain distance. Sure, the winter clothes were a bit in the way, but it was true, they were thrown out of a dance hall.

„You are not cold, are you?“  
Clara shook her head and wrote thank you on his hand. The Doctor smiled and his eyes lost in hers. If he was not careful, he would fall, very deep.

When they had felt twelve but only three slow dances, he still noticed their trembling and said that it would be better if they would warm up now. So he made his promise to the band as well.

„You are very lucky“, one of them said to him, „you should not let this angel fly away.“  
„Well, sometimes I'm scared to blink, because then it could be gone or I'm in another time.“  
„Anyway, you really should hold her.“

The Doctor lowered his head. He had told her that as soon as the temperatures got warmer, she had to leave. And then there was the fact that he was planning to go to London next summer.

So the months went by, the winter left spring to take over and the snow melted slowly. As soon as the first snowdrops were visible, Clara had to struggle with her feelings. And she knew it was ridiculous, at least he would never see her like that.

Maybe she should go by herself, not bother him. Even though she would return to her old life, selling matches at the street corner, depriving her voice forever and covering her body with soot and grime, he would be relieved of responsibility for her.

So she packed up the few belongings, put on the old things back then, and left the house quietly while he slept.

„I'm so sorry, Doctor“, she whispered as she stood outside the house. She thought the words just said in her mind, but they left her lips directly.

In the morning, when the doctor woke up, he first listened to the sounds in the house. Clara was always awake in front of him and he could hear her in the kitchen too. She always had breakfast, but he did not think she was in the habit of taking care of the household.

He wanted to ask her to accompany him to London... and he wanted to ask her to marry him. Not so that she cared for the rest of her life, but because he finally gave up fighting it.

He, Peter Basil Smith, known only as the Doctor, had fallen in love with her, and even if he rowed with all his might against the current, she would drive him back again and again.

Only the silence greeted him. Was he more awake than Clara? To be on the safe side, he lay down, but she did not look into his room, nor did she call for him.

She could not just have gone, not like that.

He swung himself out of bed, got dressed quickly and then left in a hurry and without thinking about the house.

No matter where he searched in the vicinity, she was nowhere to be found. She really could not have got very far. No one would allow her to get into one of the public carriages if they saw her in broad daylight and nobody else would care. If he was honest, he might have walked past her several months ago without giving her even a second of his time.

But that was then, and was not it more important to accept today?

He searched until the evening, not caring about the coldness that penetrated his limbs. In the hurry he had not even put on a coat. What had happened to the grumpy old man he had been a few months ago?

„Please“, he suddenly heard the voice of a young woman, „I just have to go to the harbor, that's all I want.“

The Doctor, curious, moved closer, but continued to hold in the background.

„As if I would let a filthy beggar like you into my carriage. Get out and I'll show you how a woman has to behave towards a man.“

„I can give you all my money, sir. It's not much, but it's...“

The next moment a kind of sound was heard and Clara kept her cheek in wonder. The man even spat in her face before he climbed on top of his carriage and drove off.

The Doctor could no longer stay in his hiding place, came out of this now and put an arm around her shoulder.

„Let's go, we can clear the rest at home.“

She only nodded. Maybe it had been a big mistake to run away.

He made her tea in his house and it took some time for her to warm up. The days were still cold and the nights should not be underestimated.

„So, Clara, why did you run away?“

She cleared her throat, and after all the months of silence, she still found it difficult to speak.

„I did not want to burden you anymore, Doctor.“  
„But you are not. You would never. Clara, do you have any idea what fears I've been through all this time when you were suddenly gone this morning?“

She shook her head. Of course she did not know. He knelt down in front of her and stroked a strand of hair from her forehead. The hair was no longer covered in mud, but it did not seem to be aware yet.

„I know you were scared, but if anything has become clear to me in the last few months, then this.“

He leaned against her and kissed her the way he had wanted to do for a long time. After a few minutes, he let go of her and when he looked at her, not only her hair was back to normal, but also her entire appearance.

„Clara, oh My Clara, I love you, my impossible girl.“

The end.

**********************

Small facts at the end.

Basil and Clara married (common at the time) only a few months later.  
In contrast to the sweeping attitude of the time, she not only took his surname, but kept hers, so that she was now called Clara Oswin Oswald-Smith [or Mrs Peter Basil Oswald-Smith].

They had two, actually three, but the second only died a few hours after birth, children. Actually, the third was not planned anymore, since the Doctor was already 66 years old at that time, but it also seemed to have been a present.

The Doctor died at age 85, a high age for the time, Clara did the same day (which was because she had eaten a poisonous mushroom on his deathbed).

Although their children knew about it, the loss seemed to be great. They gave their parents one of the most beautiful tombs the city of London had ever seen.

Her aunt, whom she had once sent away in disgust (also responsible for her suffering), never saw her again. This finally died lonely in the middle of the mountains.

Really: The End.


End file.
